Grace for When You Mess up Again - Your Nightly Prayer - August 15
Grace for When You Mess Up Again
Your Nightly Prayer
by Amanda Idleman
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end.” - Lamentations 3:22
SOMETHING TO PONDER
This prayer reminds readers that no failure is too big for God’s renewing mercy. Do you know what one of the hardest parts about grace can be? Accepting it. My husband and I went through some rough years together. I was struggling with anxiety and depression, and he was struggling to be married to me. Many unkind things were said, deep failures exposed, and I almost lost hope for our future together.
In the middle of this ordeal, I felt the Holy Spirit say to me, "You have to forgive yourself. You have to accept my grace.” Suddenly, I saw how much self-hate I was holding onto, along with disdain for my husband. But if I was going to be able to see a better future for us, I had to let go of the crushing guilt I was carrying around. I had to believe God’s mercy was powerful enough to cover my not-enoughness. Guess what? My pride, which said I was too broken for Jesus, got in the way of my being able to move forward. It takes humility to accept grace and extend forgiveness.
God’s steadfastness kept pushing me back to these exact words: Accept my grace. It’s enough for even this. Over time, I could let go and trust God to love me despite my failures. I hope you also see that his love is greater than our sin. His mercy is unending, and all we have to do is be humble enough to accept it. Then, we can move past our chronic failures and ask him to give us the strength to live for a hope-filled future.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
God,
I thank you for your great love for me; this love fuels your steadfast and endless mercy. There is nothing that can separate me from your love. Please help me to lay down my pride and accept your grace. Give me the strength I need to forgive myself and to trust that you can use even me for your glory. Silence the lies that tell me I’m too broken, too hopeless, too not-enough for you to love. You made me and love me just as I am every day of my life. Equip me with the right tools I need to overcome my negative patterns. Please help me to live with the fruits of the Spirit.
Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. What are some lies you have been struggling with holding you back from accepting God’s mercy?
2. Remember, God is big enough to cover all sin, even yours. Let this truth bring hope to your heart.
3. What can you do to help guard against recurring sins in your life? Consider if counseling, mentorship, more healthy habits, accountability, or rest could help guard you against recurrent sin.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/Marjan_Apostolovic
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